Municipal funding cuts to public health and childcare will kick in across Ontario in January, months after the province backed down on retroactive cuts amid a public outcry. The government says it will soften the blow with transitional funding and more consultations on further changes.

Ford told the assembled mayors, councillors and officials that his government has been listening to their concerns.

“My friends, we are listening to you.”

Reaction to Ford’s speech was muted from civic leaders who have faced months of financial uncertainty as a result of provincial funding cuts.

AMO president Jamie McGarvey urged the government to work with civic leaders.

“We cannot achieve these things with abrupt, unilateral changes, and it will take more than simple belt-tightening to make things better,” he said. “Working together, we can avoid unnecessary turmoil and respect the essential front-line services that our governments deliver.”

The government previously tried to force retroactive cuts to public health, childcare and land ambulance services on municipalities but backed down after municipalities complained their budgets had already been passed. Under the initial plan, Toronto would have been on the hook for 50 per cent of public health costs.

Until Monday, it was unclear whether the cuts would go ahead in 2020. The government confirmed Monday that cuts to public health and childcare would.

Ford announced transitional funding to soften the blow of the municipal funding cuts. He also announced a four per cent funding increase for land ambulance services and more in the future.

There were few details about how the transitional funding would work, but Elliott said it would be available to municipalities whose health budgets increased by more than 10 per cent as a result of provincial funding changes for public health.

Under the changes, municipalities, including Toronto, will now be responsible for 30 per cent of public health funding. Most, including Ottawa, currently pay 25 per cent of the cost of public health and the province pays 75 per cent. Under the changes, the province will now pay 70 per cent of public health costs.

Elliott also said the province would extend consultation on changes to the way public health and emergency services are delivered.

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, who met with Ford Monday morning, said he remains concerned about the continuing uncertainty around provincial downloading to municipalities.

“Childcare funding is one of the areas that worries me. We don’t know what the transition funding will be.”

The province had previously announced municipalities will now have to pay 20 per cent of the cost of new childcare spaces, which the province previously fully funded.

Watson called the announcement of a four-per-cent increase for land ambulance services “some good news.”

He also said he told Ford it is wrong of the province to make cuts to long-term care funding “and (Ford) agreed that the province shouldn’t be cutting long-term care, so I am optimistic about that.”

The City of Ottawa stands to lose about $800,000 under long-term care program cuts that were due to take effect in August but have been pushed back until October.

Watson said there were no details to help municipalities better understand what their additional costs will be as a result of changes that kick in January 1.

“The challenge with these kind of speeches that are made in general is you really don’t get a lot of specifics. It is frustrating. I would have hoped when they made this announcement they would have had a sheet for each municipality to hand out the same day.”

Watson said municipalities need support and predictability from the province if changes and funding cuts are going to be made.

“We need transition funding and we need a longer runway for these decisions to be made. We can’t turn this organization around on a dime.”

Clarence Rockland Mayor Guy Desjardins said funding cuts to childcare spaces will hit his community hard. “Fees are already high and we would have to raise fees.”

Hawkesbury Mayor Paula Assaly said it is good news that the province will assist municipalities facing public health cuts.

“This is good news, because we were all wondering where the money was going to come from.”

The province previously announced that it would amalgamate public health units and ambulance services to reduce duplication and save money.

On Monday, Elliot noted that there is duplication and poor co-ordination among the province’s health units. Some have difficulty attracting senior staff because of their size.

“Something needs to be done. The status quo is not an option. It is important that we do this right.”

Rideau Rockcliffe Coun. Rawlson King said that even with transition funding, it is clear municipalities will be forced to pay more for needed services with few options to raise money.

“It is frustrating to us because if we have to bear more of the cost and we don’t have the financial tools,” he said. “If there is a decision in the future — for example a tax increase — I think we can lay that directly at the feet of this premier.”

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